Blood is Always Red
by makepienotwar
Summary: When a new neighbor comes to town, Peeta, Katniss, Haymitch, and the Toast babies must find out ways to stay safe.
1. Chapter 1

I begin with a simple word. "Hi." I say. He stares at the clock on the wall next to me. Peeta has just snapped out of a mental brake down. The kids are both sitting next to me. I start to stroke Prim soft brown hair as Peeta begins to look around the room. "What. What. What happened?" he asks. "You had a brake down." I say. He starts to get out of bed but I just push him back in. "You are not getting up until I know you're fine." Luckily I had Peeta Jr. help me tie him down to the bed so he can't get up. "You can't leave me here! I refuse to lay here tied to my own bed!" he yells. I signal for Prim and Peeta Jr. to leave the room. Peeta kicks the sheets off the bed. "Don't leave me here Katniss! Please!" I turn around and walk over to him. "Please don't leave!" he cries. Tears run down his cheeks. I'm usually the only person brave enough to stay with him after a brake down. "Katniss!" he screams. I grab his hand and give him a kiss on the cheek. He stares into my eyes and gives my hand a squeeze. I sit down on the bed next to him while he keeps staring at me. "Are you ok?" I ask him. He shakes his head. "I know I'm a problem. Everyone knows about my brake downs and they're scared to be near me." "That is not true. You've got me." I reply. "That's it. Nobody else trusts me." He begins to doze off so I leave him and go downstairs. The kids are laying on the living room floor watching TV. "Is Daddy ok?" Peeta Jr. asks. "Yes." I lie. "Come back!" Peeta screams from the bedroom. I run upstairs and open the door. "Katniss!" Peeta yells. I sit on the bed next to him and try to calm him down. "Katniss don't leave. Please." he whispers. "Ok." I reply. The kids come up stairs and I walk over to the door. "I want you to pack some things and go over to Haymitch's house for the night." I whisper to them. They nod and go to their room. "Peeta. You need to calm down." I say. "I know I just don't want to be alone." he replies. "Do you think maybe you can be untied from the bed?" I ask him. "Maybe. I don't know." he replies. I start to untie his wrists. By the time I'm finished he has completely calmed down. "Are you ok?" I ask him. He nods. "Sorry I just wasn't thinking." he says. He sits up in bed and I embrace him. He begins to cry. "You're ok." I say. I make him get out of bed and go outside with me to take a walk in the woods. "You just need to get your mind off things." I say when we arrive at the fence. I guide him under and we start our walk. The rest of the day is kind of a blur. We walk down to the cabin and decide to spend the night there. I hope the fresh air will help him. I set up our bed in front of the fireplace while Peeta gets wood for the fire. When he comes back I help him stack the firewood by the door. As soon as I start the fire he's fallen asleep in a huge bundle of blankets. I sigh and take a blanket from the bundle. Well at least he's asleep. I lay down in front of the fireplace and start to drift off to sleep. Well let's just say I didn't sleep for long due to Peeta whining in his sleep. I had to keep getting up and calming him down. Finally I just decide to stay up and sit next to him until he wakes up. When he does finally wake up it's mid morning. I decide we probably should head home because the kids will be looking for us. I grab the blankets and pillows and head for the fence. Peeta trudges behind me half asleep. When we get home Peeta Jr. and Prim are waiting for us. "Where were you?!" Prim asks. "At the cabin." Peeta says. Outside the mocking jays sing their songs tempting me to go out and sing with them. As soon as Prim tries to answer his question there is a knock on the door. I open the door to find no one. Strange. I close the door and then I hear another knock. This time Prim opens the door. "Oh my gosh!" she squeals. I look at the door step and see a box. With holes in it. "Something alive?" Peeta asks. I shrug my shoulders and pick up the box. Prim tries to shake the box but I hold it high so she reach it. I set the box on the table and open it. My eyes widen and I gasp. "Who would… I can't even….."


	2. Chapter 2

A little girl. Newborn. In a box. I pick up the baby and begin to rock her back and fourth. "Who would do this?" Peeta asks. The baby can't even be a week old yet. Peeta Jr. digs down in the box. "Where's my prize?" he asks. "It's not a cereal box." Prim says. He pulls out a note. "Please take care of my girl. I just can't handle her." Peeta Jr. reads.

"Huh. Strange prize." "Looks like I'll be getting the crib from upstairs." Peeta says. He walks upstairs sighing. "What are we going to name her?" Prim asks. "We are not naming her yet. Not until we find her mom." I say. Peeta drags the crib downstairs. "There." he says out of breath. I get a bottle out of cupboard and fill it with milk. I begin to feed the baby. There's a knock on the door. Peeta answers it while saying "Better not be dropping off another baby." "Oh sir I don't plan on doing that." the voice says. I see the face of a man in his twenties starring at us. "Hi I'm Caleb. I just moved here from district ten with my sister Kylie." We invite him in. "Why did you move from ten?" I ask. "Neighbors. They were horrible." Caleb replies. "Expecting a baby?" He points to the crib. "Nope someone dropped one off." Peeta says. "Oh my God is that my sister's baby?!" Caleb screams looking at the baby. He picks up the baby and rocks her in his arms. "It is." he whispers. Peeta and I eye each other. "I'm sorry about this. I don't know why she would do this." "It's ok we didn't mind." I say. Caleb bids us goodbye and heads home. "So that's who dropped her off." Peeta says. "Guess so." I say as Peeta puts his arm around me. Prim and Peeta Jr. come running through the house about who's going to name the baby. "The baby is gone." Peeta brakes it to them. "Aww!" they whine. "Sorry." I say. Peeta Jr. runs up stairs and slams the bedroom door shut. "Caleb's hot." Prim says running upstairs after Peeta Jr.. Peeta laughs. "Has she been listening to us again?" "Probably. Knowing her and her sneaky ways." I say. He kisses my temple. "Better go check on them." Later that day I decide to go to the woods with Peeta Jr. "Where did Caleb go?" he asks. "Who knows." I say. "Who's talking about me?" a southern voice asks. Caleb jumps down from a tree. "Who wants to know?" I ask. "Me." he replies with a wink. Peeta Jr. giggles. Caleb's brown eyes sparkle in the sunlight. "So where you two heading off to?" he asks. "The lake!" Peeta Jr. says. "Well. Mind if I join you?" Caleb asks. "Yes I do mind. I've heard things about you people from ten." I say. He rises an eyebrow. "Huh well. Ok then. I guess I'll see you later." He shrugs his shoulders and walks off. Peeta Jr. smacks my hand. "That is a no no mommy." he says. We start to walk back home. I'm not trusting these woods without Peeta around. Something about Caleb reminds me of old Cray. Luring women. The times I have visited ten were not that bad but, after the war things got really bad down there. I mean really really bad. They tried starting their own uprising with eleven. Right after the war there was a huge baby boom, showing the Captiol off on how they couldn't take their kids away anymore. Haymitch told me not to trust them. I agree. Whistling coming from behind me tells me we should get home fast. "Race ya." I say to Peeta Jr. We begin to run and of course when we get home Caleb and Peeta are sitting on the porch steps listening to the radio. "Passed you!" Caleb yells. I roll my eyes. "Just because you took the shortcut through the woods." I snicker. "Come on let's not get off on the wrong foot. I just want to make some friends." he replies. Yeah like close close friends. "Whatever." I say passing them to go inside. Yep. I'm playing bad cop. "Woo hoo! Mommy you're playing bad cop. Can I be good cop?!" Peeta Jr. says. "I don't see why not." "What did I just hear?" Peeta yells. "Nothing sweetie." I say. An old band comes over the radio. Maroon 5. With my favorite song Misery. "Katniss! Better come out here!" Peeta yells. I bust out the door and sit down next to Peeta. Keeping my distance from Caleb. Peeta and I sit there humming the lyrics and when the song is over the DJ announces that there is going to be a Maroon 5 marathon. "Ooh!" Peeta says poking me in the stomach. "Better leave for the night then." Caleb says. "Not much of a fan for Maroon 5." We tell him good night and he goes on his way. "Heard you and Peeta Jr. are playing good cop bad cop." Peeta says. I nod. "Going against Caleb. Ten isn't a good district. He reminds me of old Cray." I say. Peeta nods. Moves like Jagger comes on and his face brakes out into this huge smile. He yells for Peeta Jr. to come outside. As soon as he opens the door they both rip off their shirts and begin to dance like idiots. As I turn up the music Haymitch notices and runs outside shirtless. I begin laughing and yell for Prim to get the camera. We both sit there laughing and video taping the dancing weirdo's.


	3. Chapter 3

Haymitch finally goes home after dancing in our lawn for five hours. Prim follows him home to spend the night. Peeta, Peeta Jr., and I decide to spend the night outside. Peeta decides to keep watch for the first half of the night. As I begin to fall asleep I hear a whistling noise coming from the path. I scoot closer to Peeta because I have a feeling I know who's coming. I put a blanket over Peeta Jr. and I and pretend I'm not here. "Hey! Peeta!" I hear Caleb yell. I feel Peeta sink down and hear fake snoring. "Guess I'll see you later then." I hear Caleb say under his breath. I peek my eyes out of the top of the blanket and see him walk away. I give Peeta a thumbs up and he moves back to his normal position. "Thanks." I whisper. He smiles. "Go back to sleep." I nod and close my eyes. That makes me feel safe. I know Peeta is watching for him. Peeta Jr. begins to stir around. I set up and pick him up and tell Peeta he needs to go to sleep. I can see the bags under his eyes. "Don't worry. I think I can handle him." I pat my bow beside me. "Katniss you're not going to shoot him. It's not the Hunger Games." Peeta says. Before I can answer he falls asleep. I place his head in my lap and start playing with his hair but after a while I fall asleep too. I feel a pain in my arm and it's getting worse. I wake up tied to a chair and Peeta Jr. next to me. Peeta is across from me still asleep tied to a pole. I try to scream but my mouth is taped shut. All I can make is muffled noises. Peeta Jr. on the other hand is taped to the floor. I knock over my chair and Peeta wakes up. His eyes look around the room then look strait at me. He tries to scream too but he can't either. I try to crawl over to him but after about a minute I quit. My legs are taped to the chair. I start chewing at the tape on my mouth and I finally get it off. Johanna taught me a few tricks. I scoot towards Peeta again and finally reach him. I rip the tape off of him with my teeth. "Katniss. Where are we?" he whispers. "Caleb's I think." I reply quietly. "Help me with my ropes." Peeta unties my hands. I rip the tape off my feet and begin to untie Peeta. By the time he's untied Peeta Jr. wakes up. He begins to scream. Oddly his mouth is just covered with a bandana. I get up and remove most of the tape. Bad part is when I removed the tape his shirt is gone. I look over and so is Peeta's. I didn't even notice. "Peeta can I ask you a question?" I ask. He nods. "Am I fully clothed?" He shakes his head. I look down and my shirt is gone too. Luckily I have my bra on. I don't even want to know if Peeta Jr.'s pants are still on. Mine aren't. Luckily again I still have my underwear. So does Peeta. Peeta comes over and finishes taking the tape off Peeta Jr.. I hear foot steps coming toward us. I walk to the door and jam the chair under the doorknob. There nobody can get in now. Not until I can figure out what's going on. I see a window on the ceiling. We can bust that and climb out. I throw the chair at the window and bust it. Peeta sets me on his shoulders and I pick up Peeta Jr. I set him on the roof of the house. The door knob begins to shake and there is pounding on the door. "Mellarks! Open this door!" A nasty voice screams. Peeta lifts me up and I climb onto the roof. I see Thom and Delly laughing at me. "Katniss! What are you doing?!" Thom yells. "Shut up Thom! Neighbor took our clothes!" I yell back. I help Peeta up. "Peeta too? This is priceless!" Delly yells. " When I get off this roof.." I snicker. We jump down from the roof and run home. As I shut the door I hear boots walking on our porch. I look out the window. Caleb. With an evil grin on his face. "I see you." he says. "And what you did to my house." I knew something was up with him. You don't just get new neighbors and them be friends with you right off. "You have to be gay!" I scream at him. "Who's saying I'm not." he replies. My eyes get huge. I drag Peeta upstairs. "He's gay!" I tell him. "So that's why Peeta Jr. had no pants or shirt on. Huh. A gay neighbor." Peeta says. "Oh joy. More to worry about."


	4. Author Note

Dear readers of Blood is Always Red,

Due to the negative comments on my story I am going to delete it. I appreciate and the good comments but I really don't like my story being criticized . I have been getting Private Messages telling me to stop writing my story. I guess all stories don't have to be great but I don't like that people don't appreciate my story. And to the people that have caused me to stop writing thanks a lot. I loved writing but now thanks to you I don't like it so much anymore. I may delete my account so I can't get anymore negative comments.

Thank You for reading,

makepiewar


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